Folding crate



July 3, 1928. 1,675,319

J. Mes. ALLEN EOLDING CRATE Original Filed Feb. 18, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet1 JohwMc 1 July 3, 1928.

J. M G. ALLEN FOLDING cams Original Filed Feb. 18, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2John Mc Patented July 3, 1928.

J'OHN MOGARY ALLEN, 0]? .MABT, TEXAS.

FOLDING CRATE.

Application filed February 18, 1926, Serial No. 89,189. Renewed May 24,1928.

This invention relates to improvements in folding crates, having for anobject to provide a crate employing a novel arrangement and constructionof side and end walls which, with setting up of the device in operativeposition, will be prevented from having any relative movement such aswould tend toallow collapsing of the crate, but

which, however, can when. desired, be immediately released, and causedto swingto their folded positions, thereby materially reducing the sizeof the device and thus, enabling the transportation of the same in acompact and space conserving form.

It is likewise an equally important object of the invention toprovidethe crate with stay andibrace means whereby the samewill besupported in set up or openedposltion and will havetheintermediateportion thereof materially braced to such an extent as to avoidliability of collapsingwith the stacking of other objects thereon, suchmeans being capable of immediate movement to collapsed or foldedposition with the folding of the crate. i e

It is also an object of the invention; to provide the crate withforms ofside stays or guards which, with the folding of the same,

will serve to permit of the securing of the top and bottom sections injuxtaposed relation, as well asprevent relative lateral'move mentbetween such sections and additional- 1y, to prevent interference withadjacent objects. j

Other objects of the invention will be in part obvious, and in partpointed out here inafter.

In order that the invention and its mode of operation may be readilyunderstood by persons skilled in the art, I have in the accom'panyingillustrative drawings, and in the detailed following description basedthereon, set out one possible embodimentof the same.

Inthese. drawings i Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improvedfoldable crate in complete set up position; V j

Figure 2 is a similar view wherein the end walls of the crate have beenfolded inwardly to their inoperative positions, or to positions topermit of theplacelment of various objects or matter therein; a

Figure 3' is a similar view whereinthe' accompanying the crate in itscomplete collapsed or folded position; and,

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary detail, partly in section, taken onthe line 5-5 of Figure 1..

Having more particular reference to the drawings, in connection withwhich like characters of reference will designate corresponding partsthroughout, the improved foldablecrate may be stated to comprise a topand bottom sectionl and 2 respectively, the bottom section beingpreferably formed of. a plurality of closed positioned or juxtaposedplanks or boards whereby to give continuity of surface, while, ofcourse, the top 1 ispreferably constructed of-boards or similar materialarrangedin a relatively spaced relation. The top and bottom sections 1and 2 are of correspondingsize and formation,

the bottom section 2 having. relatively parallel flanges or side strips3 secured. to the opposite sides thereof, as is shown in the drawings,while suitable bracing strips 4-may be and'preferably are disposedtransversely of the boards or planks making up the same and as will beunderstood, are secured thereto in a suitable mannerwhereby to lend tothe rigidity and stability of the assembled device. A plurality ofpairsof transversely disposed rods 5 and 6 are arranged upon theintermediate portions of thebottom and top sections respectively,and-have the opposite ends thereof extended slightly beyond the samewhereby to permit of the mounting of pivotal stays or brace sections 7thereon, the said sections having motion limiting shoulders or lips 8formed upon their opposite ends, while other brace sections 9 arepivoted to these opposite ends adjacent the shoulders 8 and as will beunderstood, are adapted to have their pivotal movement with respect tothe braces 7 limited bysuch shoulders in one direction." That is to say,with arrangen'ient of the pivotally inter connecte'd brace secas isshown in theFigures 1 and 3, the shoulders 8 will abut adjacent portionsof the braces 9 and thereby, will serve to prevent furtherpivotalinovement of the same in. one direction However, pivotal movementas between the braces 7 and 9 man opposite direction will be permittedand hence, the breaking of these braces, as when the top and bottomsections are to be swung or folded to their inoperative or closedpositions, will be permitted. The upper ends of the braces 9, as will benoted, are mounted for pivotal movement upon the opposite and extendedends of the rods carried upon and disposed transversely of the topsection 1.

To provide the crate construction with further stay and guide means,metal bars or strips, designated herein by the numeral are supplied,said oars being formed withdiagonallydisposed opposite portions, theextremities of which are fixedly secured to the opposite ends of theaforesaid rods 6, as indicated at 1 1. At this point, it is to be notedthat the stays 10 are off-set laterally with respect to the pivotallyconnected sections 7 and 9 of the previously described braces and byconsequence, with movement of the top and bottom sections to theirfolded positions, as indicated in the Figure 4, said sections 7 and 9will be received adjacent the inner sides of the stays 10, while thelower and free portions of such stays may Ill lie-arranged in a positionadjacent the outer faces of the intermediate portions of the previouslydescribed strips 3, as is shown in the Figure 4. Hooks or other suitabledevices 12 are preferably carried upon the intermediate portions of eachof these stays or guards 10 and are adapted to be engaged in eyelets 01'other keepers 13 secured to'the opposite sides and correspondingintermediate portions of the bottom section 2. Thus, it will. beappreciated that with engagement of the hooks 12 in their respectiveeyelets 13, said top and bottom sections 1 and 2 respectively will besecured against relative movement, either laterally with respect to eachother or in directions away from each other. Additionally, these guards10 will serve ,to prevent interference with other objects with thefolded crate and likewise, will serve to secure proper movement of thehingedly connected sectional braces 7 and 9 to their collapsed or foldedpositions.

End walls comprising relatively spaced boards, planks, or othermaterial, interconnected and braced through suitable means, indicated intheir entireties by the numeral 14, are hingedly mounted. as at 15, uponthe opposite ends of the bottom section 2 and as will be noted, theseend walls may be permitted to be swung upwardly to positions atsubstantially right angles to the bottom section 2 as is clearly shownin the Figure 1, in the setting up of the crate. At this time, thebottom marginal portions of each of" the end walls will have abuttingengagement with adjacent portions of the bottom section 2 and hence,will be prevented from having further outward pivotal movement withrespect to the opposite ends of thecrate construction.

In order that the upper or free ends of the end walls 14 will be securedin their upright or relative right angular positions with respect to thecrate when in its set up position, spring latch members 16 are providedupon the under sides of the opposite ends of the top section, therebeing two of such latch members upon each end of the top section 1, suchmembers being secured to adjacent portions of the under sides of thesect-ions, as indicated at 17, while the opposite or free ends thereofare adapted to be spaced downwardly from the top sec-1 tion by reason ofthe curvature of the latches. Thus, it will be understood that withswinging of the hinged end walls 1+1 to their upright or right angularposition, aforesaid, the free extren'iities thereof will pass over thespring latch members 16. However, when they have completely passed overand disengaged from the free ends of such members 16, said members 'willimmediately return to their normal positions whereat they will be spacedfrom the adjacent portions of the under sides of the 'top section 1, asis-shown in the'Figure 5, and hence, the downwardly spaced ends of thelatch members 16 will abut adjacent portions of the inner sides of theend walls 14 and thereby prevent inward swinging movement of the same.

To permit operation of the latches 16, that is, movement of the sametotheir inoperative positions whereat they will be dis engaged from theadjacent portions of the end walls 14 and such end walls will be permitted to swing inwardly to their folded or collapsed positions on thebottom section 2, latch operatin rods 18 are rotatably mounted insultable bearings 19 upon the upper sides and opposite end portions ofthe top section 1, the opposite ends of said rods being provided withcurved right angularly' disposed extensions 19 which, in turn, areslidably engaged through eyelets or similar devices 20 integral with orotherwise secured to the free end portions of the various latch members16. A right angularly off-set handle 21 is formed in the intermediateportion of each of these several a preferably arranged upon appropriatepor- .tions of the top section 1 whereby to permit of engagement of thelooped ends of the several pintles 21 thereover whereupon shields,locks, or other devices 22, are passed through the same to preventfraudulent operation of the latch rods 1-8, as to enable tampering withthe crate, subsequently to movement of the end walls 14 to their uprightor right angular positions.

Side walls 23 comprising relatively interconnectedand braced boards orplanks, or other elements, are provided the crate construction, the samebeing hinged to the upper marginal portions of the strips 3 se cured tothe opposite sides of the bottom section 2. By this mounting of, theside walls upon the strips 3, it will be understood that the lowerportions thereof will be positioned about the hinged mounting of the endwalls 14, and at this point, it is to be understood that the height ofthe strips 3 aresuch as to approximately correspond to the thickness ofthe end walls 14. Thus, when said end walls 14 are in their foldedpositions, as shown in the Figure2, the side walls 23 maybe freely swungdownwardly and over such end walls, as is shown in the Figure 3, intosubstantial parallelism with the bottom section 2. Likewise, it is tobenoted that the lengths of the several ,end walls 14 are such as topermit the same to be swung within the side walls 23 when said wallshave been moved to theirupright or right angular positions, as shown..Thus, following the upward swinging of the walls 28 to their rightangular positions, the end walls 1.4: maybe freely swung upwardly totheir respective right angular positions, as when upright, will engagethe adjacent inner sides of-the end portions of the side walls 23 andserve as means for positively retaining the same in their respectiveupright positions and against undesired swinging or shifting movement tocollapsed or folded positions.

In use of my improved crate, to set up the same, it is only necessarythat the'hooks 12 be disengaged from their respective keepers 13 uponthe bottom section 2, whereupon the top section is pulled upwardly tothat position as shown in the Figure 3. At

this time, the hingedly connected brace sections 7 and 9 will be movedinto substantial parallel positions as shown in said Figure 3. Followingthis, the side walls 23 are swung upwardly to their right angularpositions, whereupon the several end walls are then swung upwardly tothose right angu lar positlons as shown in the Figure 1,'

thereby locking or bracing the side walls 14 in their upright or rightangular positions and preventing the same from having undesirable inwardshifting movement to collapsed positions. lVith swinging movement of theend walls 14 to their upright and right angular positions as shown inthe Figure 1, it will be understood that the free ends thereof will flexthe curved free ends or ex tremities of the latch members 16 to such anextent as to permit of movement of said end-walls 141 to their fullrightangular or yupright positions, whereuponthe latch memrangement of theend walls 14 in their up right positions and locked in such positionsthrough the medium of the latch members 16, the looped ends of thehandles of. the several latch rods 18 will be engaged over the staplesor keepers provided upon corresponding portions of the top section 1 andat this time, shields, locks, or other devices 22 may be passed throughsaid keepers over the looped ends, of the handle portions 21 and thus,such latch rods 18 will be prevented from being fraudulently operated ortampered with. Should it now be desired to fold the crate, one or bothof the latch rods 18 are operated by swinging the respective handles 21upwardly and outwardly from the top section 1. .With such movement, thecurved arms 19' will be swung upwardly, thereby flexing the free ends ofthe curved latch members 16 to such an extent as to permit of free anduninterrupted inward swinging movement of the end walls 14 thereby toclosed positions, as shown in the Figure 2. To further fold or collapsethe crate, the side walls23 are now swung downwardly to the positions.as shown in the Figure 3, and following this,'the hinged connection asbetween the brace sections 7 and 9 is broken and pivotal foldingmovement is eflected as betweenthese brace sections until the sameassume positions as shown in the Figure 4, whereat the top and bottomsections 1 and 2 respectively, will be arranged 111 juxtaposed positionsand will completely house and overlie the folded end andside walls 14and 23 respectively. .At this time, the hooks 12-upon the intermediateportions of the guard bars 10 are engaged with their respective keepers13 and thus, the crate will be securely retained in its folded position.

It will be noted that with arrangement of the crate in folded positionthat the guard bars 10 will be arranged adjacent the outer sides of thehingedly connected brace sections 7 and 9 and likewise, adjacent theopposite sides of the top and bottom sections 1 and 2. Because of this,relative lateral movement as between said top and bottom sections willbe prevented, and similarly,

relative vertical movement as between such sections w ll be ohvlatd.Also, the guards Wlll serve as means for preventing the mterference orundesired engagement of other objects as between the top and bottomsections. 7 V

Manifestly, the construction shown is capable of considerablemodification, and such modifications as is within the'scop'e of myclaims, I consider within the spirit of my invention,

I claim:

1. A foldable crate comprising a top and a bottom, hingedly connectedsectional braces pivot-ed attheir opposite ends to the. sides of saidtop and bottom, means on the braces adjacent said points of hinging forlimiting pivotal movement of the same in one direction, horizontallyswingable side and end Walls hinged adjacent the marginal portions ofsaid bottom, manually movable means on the top engagoable with said endWalls, at times, for holding the same in upright positions, and guardshaving diagonally disposed opposite extremities fixedly secured to theopposite sides of said top and laterally offsetfrom the same and fromsaid braces to allow the braces to fold therebetween.

2. A foldable crate comprising a top and a bottom, hingedly connectedsectional braces pivoted at their opposite ends to the sides of said topand bottom, means on the braces adjacent said points of hinging forlimiting pivotal movement of the same in one direction, horizontallyswingable side and end Walls hinged in different planes adjacent themarginal portions of said bottom, curved spring latch members secured tothe under side and op osite end portions of said top having the fi eeends thereof disposed the opposite sides of the bottom, and iutenengageable means on corresponding portions of the opposite sides oi saidtop and bottom for securing the same in jnrttapoied position. i I

3. A foldable crate comprising a bot-tom,

side and end walls hingedly connected thereto, a top, foldable bracemembers connecting said bottom and top and adapted to retain the latterin opened or extended position, uard members each comprisinga rod havingtheir opposite ends connected to the opposite sides of said top andtheir medial portions epending thereupon, said guard members iieingadapted to extend over said bottom when the crate is, in folded positionto preven lateral movement of the top and bottom with respect to oneanother, and means for detachably connecting said guardinembers to saidbottom.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN MGGARY ALLEN.

